At Southern Explorations, we pride ourselves on creating unforgettable experiences, and our travelers often describe their adventures with us as “trips of a lifetime.” Recently, I had the chance to set off on one of these journeys with my 15-year-old son, Jonas, as we explored the breathtaking Galapagos Islands in Ecuador. This trip would mark our first international father-son adventure, and it turned out to be more than just a vacation—it was a bonding experience we will cherish forever.
Arrival in Quito and the Journey Begins
Jonas and I departed for an 8 day Ecuador adventure in early August 2024. It was our first international father-son trip, and Jonas’s first trip to Ecuador. On the plane, I was excited to return to Ecuador and experience the Galapagos with Jonas. I was curious and a little bit nervous.
Would Jonas be more interested in the Galapagos’ culture, wildlife, and landscape, or would he long for…more time on TikTok and Snapchat? More Chipotle? His friends?
I know Southern Explorations. I know what we do. I’ve been doing it since we launched Southern Explorations almost 20 years ago. But I just wasn’t sure. I was worried Jonas would be my toughest traveler yet.
Experiencing the Wonders of the Galapagos Islands
The moment we landed in Quito and our Galapagos Safari Camp guide met us at the airport, my nerves dissipated. We were, indeed, embarking on a trip of a lifetime, together. Right away we were whisked up the highlands where we walked amongst 600 pound tortoises, some as old as 125 years. Did my son throw away his phone at that moment? No he didn’t. Did he take 55 pictures of the tortoises and high five me? Yes he did.
Making Memories Together
From there, I didn’t see Jonas’s phone much, but I did see a penguin swim up next to him while we were snorkeling, one week old blue-footed boobies, the largest school of dolphins I’ve ever seen accompany us back to land from a boat tour, and land iguanas greet us when we woke up in the morning at Galapagos Safari Camp. I heard barn owls hooting while we enjoyed some of the best food we’ve ever had, and enjoyed spending time losing at chess, talking and laughing with Jonas about our excursions and a lot of other things we hadn’t discussed before.
We biked into town and swam in Tortuga Bay, kayaked in the ocean, and tasted local chocolate and coffee. He took some selfies and posted some videos, but mostly he enjoyed the journey. And we enjoyed spending some quality time together.
Jonas did use his phone for one more thing. He called my wife on our last night of the trip, and I heard him say “mom, yes, it has been the best trip ever and I didn’t even mind getting up early and not having WiFi most of the time.” I knew then that Southern Explorations does, indeed, offer our travelers – including my son and me – trips of a lifetime.
